A clearinghouse of news and events about historic Route 66, the Mother Road.

Tri-County Truck Stop will host ‘ghost hunt’

The long-closed Tri-County Truck Stop along Route 66 in Villa Ridge, Mo., will host a “ghost hunt” by the Paranormal Task Force on Saturday night.

According to a report in the Washington Missourian, the interactive event begins at 6 p.m. and lasts until 4 a.m. The cost is $50. Tickets may be bought here.

Tri-County Truck Stop has been featured on SyFy’s “Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files” segment “Truck Stop Terror,” in The Missourian, and on television news programs and in several books. […]

The current building, built in 1950 after the previous building burnt to the ground in the late 1940s, became the Tri-County Restaurant and Truck Stop in 1970 after The Diamonds relocated to be nearer to the newly opened Interstate 44.

When the Tri-County still ran, we posted a story or two about its alleged paranormal past. A mysterious presence, nicknamed George by its staff, apparently got a little too fresh with the female help. The restaurant also was known for serving country ham.

The Tri-County Truck Stop closed in 2006, and the boarded-up structure looks a bit worse each time we go by. However, according to its Facebook page, the Paranormal Task Force spent time in recent weeks cleaning up the restaurant’s interior — good to see.

The task force also appears to be maintaining a Facebook page for the Tri-County Truck Stop as well. So it’s nice to see the restaurant get a little care. Hope springs eternal someone can buy and revive it.

(Image of the Tri-County Truck Stop in 2005 by Alan Berning via Flickr)